— Sounds from a dramatic time.
In the midst of an ever-changing Eastern Europe, a rich and deeply moving cultural heritage has emerged — with music that bears traces of pain, hope and resilience. For over 30 years, journalist and correspondent Morten Jentoft has followed developments more closely than most, and at this concert we let the story ring out through both words and music.
In this program, the TrondheimSolistene and Jentoft go together in depth on how the dramatic history of Eastern Europe has influenced music and culture. For in the midst of the gloom, art and culture have been created that touch and live on. In a strong and evocative programme We meet some of Eastern Europe's most important composers — with excerpts from Janáček's poignant Kreutzer Sonata , Grażyna Bacewicz 's Concerto for Strings, Valentin Silvestrov's poetic soundscape, and not least Shostakovich's deeply personal Chamber Symphony in C minor.
Here you will experience a concert that not only allows us to listen — but also to understand, feel and get closer to the historical backdrop that today characterizes our time. Welcome!
Morten Jentoft journalist
Guro Kleven Hagen violin & musical director
Duration approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The program is without intermission.
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Leoš Janáček (1854–1928)
First movement from String Quartet No. 1 "Kreutzer Sonata"Grażyna Bacewicz (1909—1969)
Third movement from Concerto for String Orchestra (1948)Valentin Silvestrov (b. 1937)
Silent Music II: Evening Serenade (2002)Dmitri Shostakovich (1906—1975)
Chamber Symphony in C minor, op. 110a/arr. by String Quartet No. 8 -
TrondheimSolistene is a chamber orchestra that performs music with a broad programme and musical vision. It was established by violinist and pedagogue Bjarne Fiskum in 1988 and gives over a hundred concerts annually, with tours both in Norway and Europe in collaboration with leading national and international soloists. Aulaseriene is proud to have the Trondheim Soloists as their resident ensemble from 2024–2026.
Their discography includes over 25 releases, the most recent of which has resulted in two Spellemann awards and Grammy nominations. They have recorded all of Grieg's compositions for strings, and the release of Grieg's G minor quartet arranged for string orchestra received the French Diapason d'Or award. In addition to their own releases, the Trondheim Soloists regularly collaborate with artists in a number of other genres, and are today among our most versatile classical ensembles. In 2024, Guro Kleven Hagen took over as artistic director from Geir Inge Lotsberg.
Morten Jentoft has a background as a journalist at NRK since 1982, including two periods as a correspondent in the former Soviet Union. He has covered Ukraine for more than 30 years, closely from 2014 and during the Great War from 2022. He is the author of seven books about the relationship between Norway and Finland and the former Soviet Union. The latest book, "I grenseland", is about the Frode Berg case.
Jentoft has an above-average interest in music, and plays the viola at an amateur level himself. The music in this program lies at the heart of his field of interest, how the modern dramatic history of Eastern Europe has also influenced the music and culture of this part of the world.
We wish you an enjoyable, unique concert experience with us. Welcome!
Photo: Terese Samuelsen (Kleven Hagen) / Marius Dale (TrondheimSolistene)